TLN’s Playoff Report: Lakers vs. Rockets [Game 5]

Talk about night and day. This Laker team played near flawless basketball for 48 minutes tonight and the Rockets played as poor as possible shooting only 33% from the field and 5 of 29 from three.

The Lakers destroyed them in every facet — in the paint, beyond the arc, on the glass. It was just a Laker dominated game. Brian Cook was terrible — just want to mention he was 0-7 shooting and had 3 turnovers. Good trade Mitch!

It was also one of the most entertaining games to attend as a fan at Staples with a roaring wave throughout Staples in the fourth, the “we want Benga” chants, and “Houston sucks” chants throughout the exits. Laker fever seems to be back in LA as this team was awaken.

Be ready Denver, because L.A. is not looking back!

Now, on to the bests of the day…

Top 3 Laker Performers –

1) Kobe was Kobe again. 26 points on 19 shots, 4 boards and 3 assists. Could have done without his turnovers though.

2) Pau’s first start at PF in awhile was solid with 16 points, 13 boards and 3 blocks.

3) Just about every other Laker played well, but Farmar and Shannon Brown really did their part with 19 points combined off the bench.

Lakers Smush of the Day (Note: STD denotes the Laker that played the poorest): Fisher was terrible tonight. 1-6 for 2 points.

What to Look For Next Game: Should be a lot of what you saw tonight.

Ticket Info: I might hold off on game 7 tickets and start getting ready for game 1 vs. Denver. Tickets are already moving, so lock yours up today! E-Mail me at Steve@AveryTickets.com or call 213-221-7681 and mention TLN for tickets.

i still dont get why phil continues to start fish! i understand fish is a veteran but u got to go with the matchups. farmar matches up better with brooks than fisher. come on phil…start farmar next game!

LifeLongLakerFan

Well done, now we need to finish it off Thursday!!

will

Fisher…… Always disappointing me.

http://twitter.com/jenn85 Jennifer

If we play like this, which we can and should, no one will beat us!!!

Only thing soft about pau is his hair

good game, i liked bynum in the starting line up again

Andu

Come on, people. Continue insulting Pau, calling him ”Gasoft” when he was the best Laker in Game 4 and he has been awesome again in Game 5.

sketch

Wow! What a game! I always knew that the Lakers had this type of game in them, but didn’t think that I was going to see it! I mean, they actually took the 40 lead at the end of the 3rd into a 40 point win! The second unit didn’t just go through the motions, but they actually executed the game plan. Really nice to see!

I’d like to say that game 4 was the slap in the face that the Lakers needed to get them ready to play playoff basketball like the game that they played tonight, but we as Lakers fans, know that we’re just not quite sure what we’re going to get out of our Lakers team night in and night out! We do know that we’re the most talented team with the deepest bench and that no one should beat us 4 times out of 7 in a series, but what frame of mind and intensity will the team bring from 1 game to the next is beyond even Nostradamus!

Anyway, great game and great effort tonight by our great team!
Go Lakers!

http://www.myspace.com/guszo gus26

its time phil sits fisher or cuts his minutes even more..

at this point true laker fans can see our .04 hero is either tired or just plain in a slump… and there is nothing wrong with that.. it happens..

but its beyond the shooting that worries me with fisher..
on defense he is getting blown by anytime brooks decides to drive
on offense when he brings up the ball he takes some quick shots before the offense even sets up.
sometimes when he brings the ball up he runs the offense and swings the ball to the oppisite side of where there is an advantage..
i’ve been noticing some real poor passes too..

in short its like his whole game is just off..

and what about sasha?!!.. i mean we are paying this guy just to make 3s.. and he hasn’t made one in forever.. at least his defense has been ok on wafer..

i hate to nit pick such a perfect game.. but this was only one game.. and i want a championship.. and for that to happen sasha needs to start making open shots.. fisher needs to pick up his play.. or jackson needs to give the keys to farmar and let him run things with brown backing him up..

fisher as a backup would be good to stabalize the bench too..

http://www.nicklachey.us Jackenton

Brown/Farmar should get more minutes vs. Brooks. Brooks is too quick. He’s like Tony Parker quick (maybe even quicker).

http://yahoo.com theQuestion

again those two losses are sold/fixed,..

pj gave away game1 because giving game2 would give game3 somekind of a momentum to those rockets.. after a 2-1 advantage game4 is then again, “fixed”…

all pj can give is 2 games.. Lakers in 6 in this series..

Salty

And that’s a big SHOULD for “What to Look For Next Game”

L.A.ALL.DAY.

START JORDAN FARMAR!!!!!!!!

http://steveodesignedge.wordpress.com/ dEDGE

This was by far the best, and most satisfying Lakers victory of the entire season. 48 minutes of heart and effort. Winners on the majority of hustle plays. Smart passing, great defensive extension on the screen and roll and a DJ Mbenga highlight to cap the night.

lakeshow

another reason why sasha and luke should leave the lakers they play with no intensity whats so ever.

roro

the lakers played four great quarters. Everyone played well; and im very proud of Bynum! he was awesome. now its up to the lakers to close out this series!

roro

oh yah i love how the rockets are playing the Lakers because they play hard and the Lakers needs that type of team to go against. I honestly believe we have played the hardest team because the rockets and jazz play hard.

Beef

Bynum is BACK!!!

TheFakeShow

The Lakers are such a tease. They can play like this every game. I remember in the beginning of the season when they used to blow teams out. I doubt if the Lakers have the mental toughness to win a championship, but I hope they prove me wrong!!!

kb24

I love for how months people have been blasting farmar and are now calling for him to start. Finally the guy is getting some credit for being a solid player, he just lost his mojo for a minute.

kwame4mvp

Sasha did more of nothing. I stopped expecting things from D-fish. He’s getting old. But Sasha is a different story. He can’t sink a shot when everyone else is in rhythm. He takes bad shots and can’t even make them. I’m serious, that guy has got to step it up. Some wd-40 for that machine?

HolyGuacamole

[Comment ID #71092 Will Be Quoted Here]

I know, right? I knew this was going to happen. Farmar will get right back to it right when the tean needed it. And he did indeed deliver. I’m very proud of him.

And talk about all the Lakers in the line-up scoring. Even Mbenga! And he played only a few minutes. Plus a block, if I’m not mistaken.

This is the Laker team that can and will win a championship. Keep the faith and the intensity. We own the momentum for game 6. If they just play like this every single game, this team is unstoppable.

gugy

Great game.
This is the kind of win that we needed. But let’s not be overconfident. Houston will take another shot and we need to be focused to kill them at game 6 and finish this damn thing.

I will be interesting to play Denver and see what happens there.
Good to see Bynum playing well. I hope this is the beginning of a mental rebound for him.

lakerman1

This is why you need a team effort. Everyone will not excel every night, but the Lakers when they really want to show that they have enough players to step it up every time. This was one great 48 min performance. There are going to be let down games but games like last nights make you know that these Lakers are capable of great things.

Holy Flaming American Idol

Good to see Bynum play good last night. Maybe we can still beat those fenver fa gs. We’ll see.

lakeshow2481

good way to rip there hearts out and stomp on it. now finish this series and gear up for the nuggets. Lamar get well soon we need ur size out there they cant guard u nobody can guard u take advantage stay aggrssive. Bynum gather ur thought and get into the game let it come to u and u will b fine no intimidatiion u intimidate. lets get it done lakers nothing but faith.

Michael_23

Guys, I do agree with Fisher should be put on the pine a bit. But just for this series. Fisher barely kept up with Deron Williams last series and he’s having a tough time this series with Aaron Brooks.

But things should get better for Fish when he faces Billups next round. Give the guy a break. It’s all about match ups right? Fish just isn’t cut out for this kind of match up.

lakeshow2481

GOOD POINT MICHEAL_23

gugy

I truly believe Fisher will be essential for a Lakers ring.
Next round with Billups is a start and his experience for the finals will be important if we get there.
Give Mr. 0.4 credit and respect. Please!

jCL smooth

kb24 – im guilty of that too! i had seriously given up on him. if this playoff series jumpstarts his career again it would be awesome. having him and brown as a two headed pg monster. that would be sweeet

jCL smooth

and speaking of chauncey, i think brown probably has the best match up. hes big enough, wide enough, fast, and plays solid d. i think chancey could take d-fish just like he did in 04. remember how bad he made fish and gary payton looked? =(

http://www.lakersvolssparks.blogspot.com Margo

[Comment ID #71066 Will Be Quoted Here]
Wow ALWAYS disappoints. Fisher IN THIS SERIES is not very good, but you will see a difference against Billups. Aaron brooks is what 21 or 22…give Fish a br8! It’s up to Phil to start someone else. And when Fish is in the Big guys have to be faster on their rotation, because of Brooks speed. Remember Fisher is truly the reason we have gotten back to our championship ways, because it’s not just about what happens on the floor, it’s about what he brings in that locker room, and he keeps Kobe Bryant sane! Just like Bynum seem to disappear in the playoffs, Heck it’s his TRUE first playoff run, give the guy some time. Sitting on the bench last year and being in the game is 2 different things! Who people should be disappointed in is Sasha V. Because the one thing he was paid 5mil a season for, was to hit 3’s and we have been getting NO production, not in the regular season or the playoffs. D Fish has held it down, while these young guys get their bearings, and Shannon Brown, is just as capable of running the point. So Farmar is definitely better in THIS series(cause we seen what DWill does to him)but against Billups, IDK. Let’s just enjoy this and keep it moving to the next series.

avcpl

Why does it take this site so long to cross off the number of games won at the top?! It’s 9 to go!

http://motivewebdesigns.com MrRJ

GO LAKERS

jason007

what the hell is wrong with u people…a win like that in the biggest game of the year and all i see in the comment board is negative stuff about fisher?..really people?..come on now.

Michael_23

A designer needs to put an X over the 10 on the header.

Kobe8

i think we are gonna need Fish more in the next series coz Denver don’t have a fast PG. Like Margo said, he keeps Kobe sane coz if Fish wasn’t there Kobe would be a different player.

Jay

LETS GO LAKERS!!!!!

HIPHOPEGO.COM

let there be light

like i’ve been saying all along Start Farmar or Brown. Bring Fisher as the back up to KOBE at SG. Sasha can bring up the ball since he is struggling wit the shot. i think fishe can still shoot. I pray that the lakers play like this all the time from now.

saplakerhater

GO celtics!!!!!!

saplakerhater

Ray Allen is in the zone more than kobe bryant,were gonna get Kevin Garnett and were gonna win the championship!!!!!!

jason

Celtics fan on a Laker blog= pretty lame. That and the fact KG playing on his knee injury could jeopardize the rest of his career. Do they want him develop a lingering knee problem?

LakersFirst

[Comment ID #71127 Will Be Quoted Here]

Stupid Boston Suckdic fan

http://neoshocapital.com Farmabrick

For Game 6, start Bynum and Farmar. The combination of size and quicks killed the Rockets in Game 5.

Against Denver, start Fisher (Billups is not quick) and Lamar.

Phil has got to be more “situational” about his line-ups. Sticking with the same group in the name of “consistency” is a mistake.

Lakerfan101

[Comment ID #71147 Will Be Quoted Here]

hey i agree with fisher starting next round but i dont think starting odom will be a bad idea…….

Lakerfan101

[Comment ID #71147 Will Be Quoted Here]

hey i agree with fisher starting next round but i dont think starting odom will be a bad idea…….

i think bynum should start cuz we really need him to get his confidence back before finals…

So i think bynum should start..

Paul Garnett

saplakerhater, FEELING YOU!!!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=684346052 Zoom Kobe II

“FEELING YOU” HAHAHA…..thats awesome! i agree, in part, with the above statement that phil needs to be more situational. but i think more so DURING the game. Actually call a timeout when the opponent goes on a run, give Kobe a minute or two more than you normally would, especially when we’re loosing in the 4th, etc.

Other than that, i’m ready to play a thug, a whiteboy who thinks he’s a thug, an overrated “superstar” who runs after hitting someone and an overcelebrating benchwarmer.

2Anush4

did you guys just hear Chuck picked Denver over us If we get through to the next round……..that should be a plus cuz he’s the mostly wrong lol…….i like we are the under dogs though..and i hope the team was watching inside the nba………i hope that will motivate them

lakers#1

BYNUM played great last night!

FreakinCrod

[Comment ID #71090 Will Be Quoted Here]

Exactly.

LakersFirst

[Comment ID #71155 Will Be Quoted Here]

Yea, he does want to feel you, because all Boston Suckdic fans are f”gs.

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